


A Time of Concern

by RonRos47



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Ladiesofrnmweek2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:00:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23891986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RonRos47/pseuds/RonRos47
Summary: Day 2: Moms & Sisters
Kudos: 3





	A Time of Concern

**Author's Note:**

> Day 2: Moms & Sisters

Bipolar. Though never officially diagnosed as Liz grew up that’s what she came to learn both her mom and sister were. Her dad never wanted to admit it and he refused to see it. He just thought his eldest daughter didn’t care about her life and was throwing it away and when it came to his wife he knew something was wrong but he thought things would work themselves out.

Looking back she remembered how her mom and sister used to be.

“Ma,” said sophomore year old Liz, “what are we doing?”

“We’re going on a road trip,” her mom said gleefully. “Today?”

“Of course today.”

“Come on Liz,” said Rosa, “it will be fun.”

Of course it would be fun for her. Her sister, a senior, found any excuse to skip school.

“I can’t,” said Liz, “I’ve got a quiz in my math class today.”

“Blah, blow it off,” Rosa said casually.

“You can make it up tomorrow,” said her mom.

“What’s all this commotion I hear,” said her dad as he came downstairs to open up the café.

“Finally, papi tell them I can’t go.”

“I didn’t know you were going anywhere.”

“Yes,” her mom said matter of fact, “I thought it would be good for the girls to experience the world outside of Roswell. You know it’s too claustrophobic here.”

“Mom’s right,” Rosa agreed.

“It’s a school day,” said her dad.

“There are always school days mi amor [my love],” his wife said to her. “One day will not be an issue.”

Liz looked at her mom finding it unbelievable that she would even consider missing a day of school as no big deal. “Ma, I haven’t missed a day of school all year.”

“Yes,” said her mom, “all the more reason to go on this adventure.”

“Mira ahi vas [see there you go], Liz doesn’t want to go.”

Her mom looked at her daughter and then at her husband, “Fine though you’ll be missing out, mija.”

“I’m sure I won’t be.”

“Whatever,” said Rosa, “but I’m going.”

“Rosa.”

“No papi, you can’t make me stay. If mom says it’s okay then I’m going.”

“Vamos Rosa,” their mom said to her. She walked over and placed a kiss on her husbands cheek. “no te preocupes estara bien [don’t worry it’ll be fine].”

“Ella no deberia faltar a la escuela en absoluto [she shouldn’t be missing school at all].”

Rosa just rolled her eyes. “Can we go now?”

Her father just sighed. There was no arguing with either of them. “Fine, estar segura [be safe]. Liz, you should go get ready for school.”

“Thank you, papi.”

*****  
“Papi,” Liz said as she arrived at the café after school. She was just putting on her antennae. “Where’s Rosa, shouldn’t be helping out today?”

“Honestly I don’t know. Your mother is upstairs. She was tired from the drive." 

*****

“Where were you,” Liz asked later that night when Rosa came into their room. “Dad thought he was going to have to call the sheriff to look for you.”

“Well I’m here,” said Rosa, “so he doesn’t have to worry. How did that quiz go that you were so desperate on taking?”

“Aced it, at least I think I did.”

“That’s my little Liz. Always better at school than anything else.”

“What is wrong with you?”

“Nothing, let’s just say the trip isn’t what I expected. Mom is crazy you know that and here I thought I was.”

“What are you talking about?”

“We drove all the way to El Paso and took some kind of religious trail shit that led up Mount Christo Rey. All the while mom was babbling about how spectacular it was and she was talking so fast it was like the only person she was making sense to was herself and she could’ve sworn she saw Jesus a few times. Like I said, mom is crazy.”

“I’m sure she was just excited about the trip.”

“You’re the scientist, Liz. You figure it out. One thing’s for sure, nunca quiero ir a un viaje asi de nuevo [I never want to go on a trip like that again]. I have enough crazy stuff going on in my own life, I don’t need hers added on too ya sabes [you know]?”

*****

That was Liz’ first indication that something had been medically wrong with her mother. The plan that came out of nowhere and racing ideas, Rosa’s description of their mom’s rapids speech, and the hallucinations. She had begun learning about mental disorders in her health class, the psychology phase of the lessons, so she had started to put together what it was her mom was going through. It became more evident a few days later.

After getting back from their trip her mom was as exuberant as ever until she wasn’t.

“You look like someone just killed your dog,” Maria said to her when they met up for lunch.

“Someone might as well have.”

“Everything okay?”

“My mom took Rosa out of school three days ago. Just like that the two of them up and left on some kind of weird mother-daughter excursion.”

“Bet Rosa was happy about that.”

“Oh beyond thrilled.”

“But you disapprove.”

“My disapproval has nothing to do with it. After she got home she just changed. Maria, my mom has been in bed for three days now.”

“Have you talked to your dad about it?”

“I’ve tried but he doesn’t think anything is wrong. He just thinks she’s tired but Maria it’s not normal right?”

“What does Rosa say?”

“Not much. She goes around like nothings wrong but then what would I really know about it since Rosa is hardly around anymore either these days.”

“I have noticed she hasn’t been in school. Do you think whatever’s going on with your mom has something to do with Rosa too?”

“I don’t know maybe. They’re just not acting like themselves anymore. I mean I get that my mom has always been a bit…different but it’s only gotten worse. And now my dad has Rosa to deal with. Maria, I seem to be the only normal one in the family right now.”

Maria let out a small laugh, “normal is overrated how many times do I have to tell you that?”

“You’re just saying that because you come from a long line of psychics.”

“True.”

“I just wish I could do something about it, you know. If I talk to my dad he’s just going to brush it off and if I talk to my mom then she’ll just say nothing’s wrong. Ai dios mio [oh my God] I just wish I knew what to do.”

“Well you might not be able to get a direct answer from God but you can get a direct answer from me. You know I’ve got your back.”

“Thanks.”

*****

“Churro pancakes,” Liz said a week later when she came downstairs to the café.

“I know they’re not as good as the ones your dad makes but they’re still not that bad.”

“You seem better.”

“I am.”

Liz took a bite of her pancake.

“Listen mija, I’ve already talked to Rosa about it and now I’m telling you. I’m not going to be around for a while.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean I’m leaving Roswell.”

“You’re joking.”

“No mija, I’m not. I can’t stay here anymore, it’s too hard. You know I want to travel, see things I haven’t seen before, experience things I haven’t experienced.”

“What about us, you’re just going to leave me, Rosa, and dad?”

“You could come with me. We could all go. Let’s just leave and never look back.”

“That’s what you want to do, leave and never look back? So screw the rest of us then right?”

“I’m not trying to do that.”

“Then don’t go.”

“I have to. No lo entenderias [you wouldn’t understand].”

“You’re right, I don’t understand. None of this makes any sense. Mom have you thought about seeing someone, you know for your behavior? It couldn’t hurt.”

Her mom smiled at her, “I don’t need to see anyone. I’m okay, Liz. You don’t have to worry about me.  
”  
“If you don’t want me to worry then don’t leave.”

“I’m sorry but this isn’t a discussion. I just wanted to tell you my plans.” Liz was getting angry now so she got up and walked to the door. “Where are you going?”

“Why do you care, you’re not going to be around anyways.”

*****

In the present day, Maria was calling out to Liz at they were at the Wild Pony. “Liz,” said Maria, “Liz hey.”

“I’m sorry what?” asked Liz.

“I’ve been calling you for the past minute, where did you go?”

She shook her head, “Sorry I just got lost for a second. Maria, I will see you later okay?” she said as she got up from the bar stool.

“You’re leaving now?”

“Yeah there’s something I have to do.”

*****

Max opened the door to his house, “Hey,” he said to Liz. “I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight.”

“Do you not want me here?” Liz asked.

Max smiled, “I always want you here. It’s just I thought you were having a girl’s night with Maria.” Liz nodded and bit her lip. “Hey what’s going on, what’s wrong?”

Liz tried to stop her tears but she couldn’t.

“Hey come here,” Max said taking her in his arms. She clung to him tightly for a little while.

“I’m sorry,” Liz said a couple minutes later.

“It’s okay.”

Liz wiped at her face and allowed herself to calm down. The two of them walked over and took a seat on the couch. Max was patient enough to wait. “I just got to thinking tonight that tonight’s the anniversary of the night my mom left.”

Max nodded. “I know.”

“I was so angry at her the night she told me she was leaving, Max. And now after all these years I thought I stopped caring.”

“She’s your mom, Liz. You could never stop caring no matter how much time has passed.”

“I know. I was kind of hoping it still didn’t hurt as much though.”

“It’s okay that it does. It goes to show how big of a heart you have. You hate that your mom left but you could never hate her for it.”

Liz nodded.

"Do you ever wonder about it, about your real parents, do you ever think about why they brought you here, what happened to them?"

"I try not to. I've always been content with my life here that I figure sometimes the past doesn't matter. Like right now you're all that matters. Come here,” Max said again as he held Liz in his arms.

Nothing no longer needed to be said. Liz relaxed enough in his arms. She always felt safe there no matter what was troubling her. She knew he was the one she could turn to especially on days like this when they were the hardest.

“Thank you,” Liz whispered.

Max said nothing, the two content on holding on to one another for the rest of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was written before 2x07, "Como La Flor", so this is my version of Liz's mother before we knew much else about her from that ep.


End file.
